Research reports

In the framework of this new study dedicated to MaaS, Audrey Lebas - researcher at the Smart City Institute - met 8 major Belgian cities (Antwerp, Bruges, Charleroi, Ghent, Hasselt, Leuven, Liège and Namur), the Brussels Capital Region and the 4 Belgian public transport operators (STIB, SNCB, TEC, De Lijn) in order to collect their perception of the MaaS concept and its prerequisites; but also with regard to its practical deployment (roles of the different sectors, management model, distribution of roles between the levels of power). This report provides thus an information and discussion basis for public authorities and mobility stakeholders for the development, or not, of MaaS strategies and projects in Belgium in the short, medium and long term. 

In recent months, the various governments, in Belgium and elsewhere, have had to take action to tackle the health crisis caused by Covid-19. These measures have had an impact on the way municipalities and cities have had to adapt. At the Smart City Institute, in this complex period, the combination of the concepts of "sustainable and smart territories" and "crisis" led us to conduct empirical research in Wallonia in order to better understand the impacts of the Covid-19 crisis on the sustainable and smart transition of our territories ("Smart Cities/Territories"). Many questions arise and in particular, will this crisis slow down or, on the contrary, accelerate this transition? This report is an opportunity to evoke some initial avenues of response. Although we are not yet able to determine the full long-term effects of this situation, this research allows us to draw up an initial assessment of the situation. Our results indicate that during this complex period, Walloon municipalities saw this crisis as an opportunity to generate positive change, particularly through digital transition. The new context induced by the health crisis has created, in certain aspects, a favourable ground for the development of intelligent territories throughout Wallonia. New digital solutions that were not previously envisaged are now an integral part of the new way of working in local public administrations. While it is still too early to say that it has indeed accelerated the sustainable and smart transition of the Walloon territory, the crisis has nevertheless opened up new perspectives for our municipalities.